A copayment, or copay, is a fixed dollar amount that a patient pays for a covered healthcare service after they have paid their deductible. Copayments provide a simple and predictable way for individuals to contribute to their healthcare costs at the time of service, making it easier to access medical care without bearing the full financial burden. Copayments can vary for different services within the same plan, like drugs, lab tests, and visits to specialists. Generally, plans with lower monthly premiums have higher copayments, while plans with higher monthly premiums usually have lower copayments. Copayments are more common with managed care plans, such as HMOs, but they can also be incorporated into other plans, such as PPOs. Its important to note that copayments are different from coinsurance, which is a percentage of the cost of a covered healthcare service that a patient pays after they have met their deductible.